Snow Report 14 April 2016 - Europe & Japan

Its late Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and things are starting to wrap up for the snow season. Resorts are beginning to advertise their summer activities - hiking, mountain biking and the like. For those who refuse to let go, there are still ski lifts open at the bigger resorts until the end of the month.

In May we at Jours de Neige will begin to prepare for the Southern season in New Zealand and Australia. First off will be a summary of opening dates for the skifields, followed by a round-up of what's new at the resorts for 2016. I hope you will join me in a few weeks for that one, and then to welcome the first snowfalls in the Australian Alps as winter approaches. Until then!

JAPAN

Nozawa Onsen 11.04.16 - Nozawa Onsen Facebook

Spring is most definitely here and the cherry blossoms have now reached the ski villages!

Lower areas of the Japanese ski resorts are closing and lifts are entering into limited operation. There is still good snow up high for some final turns of the season.

Niseko (Grand Hirafu) - 60cm@base. Lifts open until 5th May.

Zao Onsen - Grass@base (954m), 60cm up high (1387m). Very limited lifts and runs open until 5th May.

Nozawa Onsen - Grass@base (660m), 80cm at Yamabiko (1615m). Skiing and riding is mainly limited to the Yamabiko area.

Myokokogen (Akakan) - closed on 10th April.

Hakuba (Happo One) - Grass@Base, 100cm at Usagadaira. No skiing back to the bottom but the upper areas are still open.

Dynaland closed on 3rd April.

FRANCE

Spring days have raised the snow level in the Alps.

In the Northern Alps, the snow level has risen on the south-facing slopes to around 1700-1900m, while north-facing slopes still have some snow at around 1500m.

You can see this in the valleys around Les Arcs.

Les Arcs 11.04.16 - Les Arcs Facebook

In the Southern Alps, the snow level has risen on the south-facing slopes to around 210-2200m, while north-facing slopes still have some snow at around 1700-1800m.

Looks like some fresh snow above 2000m this weekend. That should make for some nice skiing and riding on the upper slopes next week:

Chamonix (Grands Montets) 160cm@1972m. Closing 1st May.

Val d'Isere 79cm@1850m. Closing 1st May.

Les Arcs 62cm@1600m. Closing 23rd April.

Val Thorens 130cm@2300m. Closing 8th May.

Serre Chevalier 100cm@2100m. Closing: Briançon 10th April, Monêtier 17th April, Chantemerle & Villeneuve 24th April.

Isola 2000 70cm@2000m. Closing 17th April.

ITALY

Monte Rosa closed 10th April.

Madonna di Campiglio (120cm@2250m). The high-altitude Groste area with a few slopes is still open until 17th April, while all other lifts closed 10th April.

Val Gardena closed 10th April.

Snow Report 1 April 2016 - Europe & Japan

JAPAN

Snow levels are reducing quickly and spring skiing has been the go at many of the Japanese ski areas. Some of the smaller ski areas begin closing now, while some of the bigger areas will keep going into May if they can with at least some lifts open.

Happo One 30.03.16 - Happo Facebook

It looks like raining on and off this weekend with snow only on the highest peaks or maybe lower down in Hokkaido.

Niseko (Grand Hirafu) - 100cm@base with some lifts open until 5th May 2016.

Zao Onsen - 30cm@base (954m), 80cm up high (1387m) with some lifts open until 5th May 2016.

Nozawa Onsen - 10cm@base (660m), 130cm at Yamabiko (1615m). There are lifts open until 8th May 2016.

Myokokogen (Akakan) - 160cm, while Akakan has no plans to close just yet, Suginohara and Ikenotaira Onsenhave already closed.

Hakuba (Happo One) - 10cm@Base, 140cm at Usagadaira. Lifts open until 8th May 2016.

Dynaland - 140cm. Lifts open until 3rd April 2016.

FRANCE

Occasional drizzle, snow flurries on the peaks, and sunny spells into the weekend. There could be localised heavy falls of snow above 2000m ... looks like favouring ski stations that like systems from the southeast. Val d'Isere perhaps?

Plenty of snow around at altitude for fantastic spring skiing:

Val Thorens 30.03.16 - Val Thorens Facebook

Chamonix (Grands Montets) 197cm@1972m, the ski areas will progressively close through April with Grands Montets open until 1st May 2016.

Val d'Isere 139cm@1850m. Lifts opening until 1st May 2016.

Les Arcs 100cm@1600m.

Val Thorens 160cm@2300m

Serre Chevalier 130cm@2100m. Lifts open until 24th April 2016.

Isola 2000 100cm@2000m

ITALY

Monte Rosa 31.03.16 - Monterosa Ski Facebook

Perhaps some heavy snow at the higher resorts in Aosta like Gressoney (Monterosa) this weekend while mainly fine further east and into the Dolomites.

There is enough snow around for some fun spring skiing.

Monte Rosa (40/130cm).

Madonna di Campiglio (40cm@1500m). Lifts opening until 17th April 2016.

Val Gardena 30cm@1500m